Netflix has unveiled a new clip from Neil Gaiman’s upcoming series The Sandman, and it introduces us to the character Mervyn Pumpkinhead, who is voiced by Mark Hamill. In the clip, Mervyn tells Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) that something has been haunting The Dreaming while Morpheus has been away.
Mervyn Pumpkinhead is Dream’s jaded, wise-cracking janitor. He resembles Jack Pumpkinhead of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books. Mervyn is in charge of the building, maintenance, and demolition work in Dreaming, though he occasionally complains that his job is superfluous since Dream can change any of it at will.
Hamill was going to be excellent in the role, and I’m pleased with the voice that he’s giving to this character!
“There is another world that waits for all of us when we close our eyes and sleep — a place called the Dreaming, where The Sandman, Master of Dreams (Tom Sturridge), gives shape to all of our deepest fears and fantasies. But when Dream is unexpectedly captured and held prisoner for a century, his absence sets off a series of events that will change both the dreaming and waking worlds forever. To restore order, Dream must journey across different worlds and timelines to mend the mistakes he’s made during his vast existence, revisiting old friends and foes, and meeting new entities — both cosmic and human — along the way.”
The cast includes Tom Sturridge as Dream, Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) as Roderick Burgess, Boyd Holbrook (Narcos) as The Corinthian, Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio) as the voice of Matthew the Raven, Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Good Place) as Death, Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who) as Johanna Constantine, Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck) as Ethel Cripps, Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne, and David Thewlis (the Harry Potter films) as John Dee.
The series is being developed and executive produced by Gaiman, showrunner Allan Heinberg (Wonder Woman, Grey’s Anatomy), and David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Terminator: Dark Fate, Foundation).
The Sandman will premiere on Netflix on August 5th, 2022.